Since 1 July 2026, any firm providing crypto-asset services to EU/EEA customers must hold a CASP authorisation under MiCA. A pending application no longer allows a firm to operate, and unlicensed firms must wind down their EU business in an orderly way.
The deadline was not the same everywhere
MiCA’s CASP rules applied from 30 December 2024, but member states could grant existing, nationally-registered firms a transitional (“grandfathering”) window of up to 18 months. Several states shortened it:
| Country | Regulator | Transitional window ended |
|---|---|---|
| Germany | BaFin | 31 December 2025 |
| Ireland | Central Bank of Ireland | 31 December 2025 |
| Netherlands | AFM | ~30 June 2025 (shortened window) |
| Latest possible (all states) | — | 1 July 2026 — no extension |
What actually changed on 1 July 2026
- Operating without a licence became untenable. Binance withdrew its EU application on 24 June 2026 and suspended regulated EU services; MEXC notified EEA users of restrictions. Both are tracked on our not-licensed list.
- Around 244 CASPs were authorised by 30 June 2026 according to the ESMA register — concentrated in Germany, the Netherlands, France and Malta. We track the major consumer exchanges among them.
- Wind-downs began. Firms that missed the deadline are expected to close EU business in an orderly way — withdrawals typically remain open while service is restricted.
What if your exchange missed the deadline?
Using an unlicensed exchange is not illegal for you — MiCA regulates the provider. But none of MiCA’s protections (client-asset segregation, conduct rules, an EU complaints channel) apply there. The practical playbook: check your venue’s status in our register, follow its official wind-down notices, and move to a MiCA-licensed alternative sooner rather than waiting.
Verify first: licensing changes weekly. The authoritative list is the official ESMA register ↗; this site is an independent tracker that makes it searchable and adds context.